Catalonia moves closer to early election as dialogue hopes fade

MADRID (Reuters) - Catalonia's two main parties on Wednesday moved a step closer to calling a snap regional election they want to use as a proxy for a referendum on independence from Spain.

The region, which accounts for one fifth of Spain's economic output, went ahead with a symbolic independence referendum on Nov. 9 despite Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy blocking such a move in the courts and calling it illegal.